Afghanistan: DfID Expenditure

Lord Elton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much has been expended by the Department for International Development in pursuit of their policies in Afghanistan (a) in the last period of 12 months for which figures are available; and (b) since the commencement of their reconstruction programme in Afghanistan.

Baroness Amos: In 2003–05 the Department for International Development (DfID) spent a total of £79.6 million in Afghanistan bilaterally. The bilateral programme budget for Afghanistan in 2005–06 is £100 million. This has been fully committed and over £75 million has already been disbursed. By the end of 2005–06 DfID will have spent approximately £390 million in Afghanistan bilaterally, since beginning its reconstruction programme in 2000–01 (this includes humanitarian spending).
	In addition to its bilateral programmes in Afghanistan, DfID provides 19 per cent of the European Commission's commitment of €1 billion (2002–07), and 10.4 per cent of the World Bank's commitment, currently some $270 million a year. DfID also contributes globally to UN programmes active in Afghanistan, including those of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme, and through the Asian Development Bank.

Agriculture: Single Farm Payment Scheme

Lord Dixon-Smith: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people are employed by outside consultancies working for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the inspection and monitoring of farms in connection with the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

Lord Bach: The single consultancy undertaking satellite remote sensing for RPA has five full-time employees, who were occupied for about four months on this work during 2005.

Alcohol

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the four reasons for measuring the costs of alcohol misuse given in the introduction to the Cabinet Office paper of September 2003, Alcohol misuse: How much does it cost? still apply; and when, having solved the methodological challenge of estimating these costs, they will undertake a further study to enable policy-makers to assess the trends since 2001 and 2002, the years to which most of the statistics in the paper relate.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The reasons for estimating costs of alcohol misuse, as set out in the Strategy Unit's background analysis paper Alcohol misuse: How much does it cost? (September 2003) are generic so will still apply. This was background analysis for the Strategy Unit project on alcohol-related harm which has now ended. The unit has no current plans to undertake further work in this area. The strategy on reducing alcohol harm is being taken forward jointly by the Department of Health and the Home Office.

Alcohol: Drink Driving

Lord Whitty: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the reported increase in drink driving cases, they will reconsider their decision not to reduce the legal limit on blood alcohol permissible when driving.

Lord Davies of Oldham: This matter is being kept under review, but there are no plans at present to reduce the legal alcohol limit for drivers.
	The Government's priority for reducing drink-drive casualties is through effective enforcement, combined with well targeted national publicity campaigns.
	To this end, we have given the police new powers to carry out evidential roadside breathtesting, subject to type approval of appropriate equipment. This is supported by a number of other provisions in the Road Safety Bill designed to deter drink driving and reduce reoffending.
	The recent police drink drive campaign covering the Christmas period was intensified and extended throughout the whole of December.

Armed Forces: Body Armour

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What operational considerations of mobility and weight have been taken into account in the development of enhanced combat body armour.

Lord Drayson: The design of any body armour system is a trade-off between the physical protection provided by the armour and the increased weight, reduced mobility and agility, and increased heat stress imposed on the user. We put significant effort into determining the correct balance, through trials and user evaluations, to ensure that our designs are practical and effective.

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What financial savings will be gained from the closure of the three stations of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Monk's Wood, Winfrith and Banchory as proposed by the Natural Environment Research Council; what will be the cost of implementing the closures; and whether the closures will affect the Government's ability to fulfil their duties under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has indicated that it estimates the cost of implementing the proposed changes is £45 million over a four-year period. These changes would enable the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) to carry out, on a financially sustainable basis, high quality environmental research for the foreseeable future.
	The proposed closure of specific sites would not affect the Government's abilities to fulfil their duties under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. CEH will continue to deliver its contractual commitments to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and other government departments and agencies having responsibility for conserving biological diversity.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Disabled People), Department for Work and Pensions, Anne McGuire MP in a letter to Mark Harper MP that "The classification [of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis] is confusing since there are five different WHO categories that could be chosen by a doctor to describe the illness" represents government policy; and whether the diagnosis of CFS/ME can have different WHO definitions other than that categorised as ICD 93.3.

Lord Warner: There is only one World Health Organisation international classification of diseases code for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, which is G93.3.

Council Tax

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Ministers of the Crown would be barred from holding office due to non-payment of council tax.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of Ministers.

Crime: Area Criminal Justice Boards

Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the official relationship between area criminal justice boards and regional offender managers.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The National Offender Management Service recognises the important role the 42 local criminal justice boards perform. Although the regional offender managers do not routinely attend these boards, for the coming year (2006–07) the probation service will continue to be represented on each by the local chief officer of probation, and the Prison Service by a nominated senior manager. Beyond 2006–07, representation will depend on the outcome of proposals currently being considered to restructure the probation and police services.

Crime: Regional Offender Managers

Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What budget has been given to each regional offender manager.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The budget given to each regional offender manager in the financial year 2005–06 ranges between £456,314 and £654,506. These figures are dependent on profiles reflecting the differing needs and requirements of each region, and cover staff and office management costs.

Crossrail: Environmental Impacts

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give an assurance that rare green space in central London, such as the Phoenix Wildlife Garden, the last community garden in Covent Garden, will not be threatened by the Crossrail project.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Phoenix Wildlife Garden is some 20 metres outside the limits of deviation for the Crossrail running tunnels and should not, therefore, be affected by the Crossrail project.
	Detailed information on the environmental impacts of Crossrail is set out in the Crossrail Environmental Statement, available in the House Library.
	A Select Committee is currently considering petitions against the Crossrail Bill from persons adversely affected by its provisions.

Defence Industrial Strategy

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How Parliament will be informed of the progress of the Defence Industrial Strategy.

Lord Drayson: The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) lays out a far-reaching agenda for change for both the Ministry of Defence and industry, covering a variety of workstreams. We will ensure that Parliament is kept informed of significant developments as we take this forward. We will formally review the DIS as a whole once every Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Education: Means-tested Maintenance Grants

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their current estimates of the annual cost of providing the new means-tested maintenance grants for students in England from low-income families for the years 2006–07; 2007–08; and 2008–09.

Lord Adonis: Planned provision for the new means-tested maintenance grant for students in England will be £358 million in financial year 2006–07 rising to £568 million in financial year 2007–08. We do not currently have estimates for financial year 2008–09, which will be considered as part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

EU: Regulations and Directives

Lord Stevens of Ludgate: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Since the launch of the campaign to get rid of unnecessary regulations, how many European Union regulations or directives have been repealed; and how many new regulations or directives have been enacted during the same period.

Lord Triesman: Since the launch of the new Commission's drive for better regulation in 2004, 858 regulations and 107 directives have been enacted; 498 regulations and 44 directives have been repealed or have expired. Last year, with the active support of the UK presidency, the Commission announced that it would withdraw a third of all pending legislative proposals and, over the next three years, simplify 222 pieces of existing basic legislation, affecting more than 1,400 legal acts. We will continue to press for sustained and ambitious European regulatory reform that delivers measurable reductions in the burdens on business.

Extraordinary Rendition

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they refuse to receive or use intelligence gained from Central Intelligence Agency prisoners subject to rendition where it relates to the prevention of terrorism in the United Kingdom.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The intelligence and security agencies receive large volumes of material from disparate sources, all of which is evaluated with a view to forming judgments designed to protect national security. They consider, for instance, where the information comes from, how it was obtained, the motivation of the source, and what kind of reporting the source has. Where a report is known to derive from a source under detention, that too would be taken into account. As with all intelligence information, each individual piece is considered against the backdrop of a body of other material and used to inform an overall evaluation.

Extraordinary Rendition

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider extra-judicial rendition of prisoners to be in accordance with international law.

Lord Triesman: Whether the rendition of a prisoner is in accordance with international law depends on the facts of each case and on the international obligations of the state or states in question.

Extraordinary Rendition

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the use of United Kingdom airports by foreign civil aircraft for refuelling is within the object and purpose of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation 1944 where such aircraft are engaged in acts of extraordinary rendition involving a risk of torture or other ill treatment within the meaning of the United Nations Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against Torture and customary international law.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The use of United Kingdom airports by foreign civil aircraft for refuelling is within the object and purpose of the Chicago convention. The Government's position on the allegations concerning extraordinary rendition has been set out in the Written Ministerial Statement on 20 January by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Lord Triesman, (Official Report, col. WS41–42).

Food Standards Agency: Vitamin D

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What response the Food Standards Agency has taken of the recent removal of vitamin D from a number of popular breakfast cereals by Kellogg's; and what representations have been made to that manufacturer on the issue; and
	In the light of recent research findings on the benefits of vitamin D in reducing the risk of a number of cancers and chronic medical conditions, what plans they and the Food Standards Agency have to promulgate appropriate public health messages on the issue, most particularly among Afro-Caribbean communities.

Lord Warner: As far as the Government are aware Kellogg's has not changed the fortification profiles, with respect to vitamin D, on any of its major breakfast cereal products since 1998. We understand that vitamin D was removed from Cornflakes in 1998, in order to standardise the product across Europe.
	The Committee on Medical Aspects of Nutrition Policy advised in 1998 on the health benefits of vitamin D in relation to bone health. The relationship between vitamin D and cancer and other chronic medical conditions is less clear.
	Most of the population are able to make sufficient vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin. The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant and breastfeeding women, older people, those of Asian origin, those who always cover up their skin when outside, rarely get outdoors or eat no meat or oily fish to take vitamin D supplements. Some ethnic minority groups, especially if they have pigmented skin and choose diets which exclude meat and fish, may also be vulnerable to low vitamin D status. This may include some individuals of Afro-Caribbean descent.

Government-owned Residences

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which (a) Ministers; (b) former Ministers; (c) officials; and (d) former officials currently have the use of a government-owned or financed residence.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Official residences are assigned to Ministers by the Prime Minister either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties. The following Ministers have an official residence:
	Prime Minister
	Chancellor of the Exchequer
	Deputy Prime Minister
	Secretary of State, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons
	In addition David Blunkett currently has the use of an official residence. When he stepped down from office he made clear to the Prime Minister that he would make the necessary arrangements to move out of the official residence. This is under way.
	The Prime Minister also has the use of Chequers, the Foreign Secretary the use of Chevening and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Deputy Prime Minister the use of Dorneywood. Northern Ireland Office Ministers may also have the use of Hillsborough Castle and Stormont in the course of their official duties in Northern Ireland.
	The information requested about residences allocated to officials is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether accommodation consisting of a pitch on a caravan site, provided by a non-metropolitan council in England within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972, is exempt from rent regulation by virtue of paragraphs 10(1)(b) and (6) ("exempt accommodation" head (ii)) of the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1644/1995), as amended by paragraph 17 of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 363/2003); and, if so, whether they will circularise county councils to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers who qualify under these provisions are not subject to rent regulation.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A pitch on a caravan site, provided by a non-metropolitan council in England, would not normally be exempt from rent regulation under the legislation referred to.
	We are looking at the treatment of Gypsy site rents for housing benefit purposes in the context of recently commissioned research on the management and support costs for gypsy site rents. We anticipate that the final research report will be published later this year.

HIV: Inadvertent Blood Infection

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received for increases to the fund administered by the Macfarlane Trust to support people with haemophilia who have been infected with HIV through contaminated National Health Service blood products, together with the families of registrants who have died;
	Whether, in considering the case for increased funding to the fund administered by the Macfarlane Trust to support people with haemophilia infected with HIV through contaminated National Health Service blood products, they will adhere to a commitment given by a previous administration that payments to the Macfarlane Trust and the fund would be kept under constant review to ensure that its funding was in line with the needs of registrants; and
	Whether, when considering the case for increased funding to the fund administered by the Macfarlane Trust to support people with haemophilia infected with HIV through contaminated National Health Service blood products, they will consult the trust on the extent of the changes that have occurred in the circumstances of registrants of the trust since the fund was set up in 1988; and
	Whether they will meet representatives of the Macfarlane Trust to discuss the case for increasing the annual cash allocation to the fund maintained for the support of people with haemophilia who were infected with HIV through contaminated National Health Service blood products, together with the families of registrants who have died.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health has received a report from the chairman of the Macfarlane Trust putting the case for increased funding for the trust. The department keeps under review the funding of the trust, and the demands upon it, in which context the report from the chairman is a helpful input. Ministers and officials in the department meet the trust periodically to review all aspects of the trust's work.

Immigration: Country of Origin Information Service

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the role of the Human Rights Commission for Pakistan as an authority for the purposes of the Home Office's Country of Origin Information Service.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan is a recognised independent human rights organisation based in Pakistan. It is considered to be a reliable source for use in Country of Origin Information Service products and has been included in the Country of Origin Information Report on Pakistan, published October 2005.

Independent Case Examiner:Mr Steven Griffiths

Lord Skelmersdale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the review of the independent case examiner into the case of Mr Steven Griffiths, to which reference is made in the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath's letter to Mr Griffiths of 9 November 2005 (PSL/05/0522), began; and
	Whether they have received the report of the independent case examiner into the case of Mr Steven Griffiths, referred to by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath in his letter to Mr Griffiths of 9 November 2005 (PSL/05/0522).

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As individual cases are confidential, I will write to you separately about this case.

Licensing Act 2003

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many licensed premises have not yet applied for licences under the Licensing Act 2003 in each council area.

Lord Davies of Oldham: This information is not held centrally. However, it is clear from discussions with licensing authorities that almost all premises that require a licence have applied, and that licensing authorities have procedures in place to deal with any that may remain outstanding.

Media and Voice Training: Prime Minister's Office

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much Number 10 Downing Street has spent on media and voice training in each of the past eight years.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: For these purposes the Prime Minister's Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested is not collected centrally. All Cabinet Office Units have delegated responsibility for spend against their training budgets. There has been no centrally organised media and voice training for Cabinet Office staff.
	The National School for Government (NSG) deliver courses related to media training. These courses are open to all civil servants.

Mental Health: Draft Bill

Lord Wedderburn of Charlton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to consult further on the Mental Health Bill before it is introduced into Parliament.

Lord Warner: We have conducted formal consultation on the draft Bill and through publication of a revised draft for pre-legislative scrutiny, and have developed the legislation accordingly. There will be no further formal consultation before the introduction of the Bill, but we intend to continue communicating with stakeholders prior to the introduction of the Bill and during its passage.
	In addition, we recognise that black and minority ethnic groups have particular concerns about the Bill and the impact it will have on them. We have been undertaking a race equality impact assessment on the Bill. We recently agreed to extend the consultation, at the request of stakeholders, to allow further dialogue to take place. The race equality impact assessment will be published alongside the Bill when it is introduced into Parliament.
	This is not the end of the process. We will continue to consult on how best to implement the new legislation with the stakeholders—for instance, through the implementation advisory group and other workstreams.

NHS: Alzheimer's Drugs

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they propose to accept or reject the revised guidelines on Alzheimer drugs, proposed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on 22 January, which would repeal its earlier cost-based blanket ban on National Health Service drugs that can delay the progress of the disease; and when a decision can be expected.

Lord Warner: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing its guidance on drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The institute has not yet published its revised guidance. It has published an appraisal consultation document and requested responses by 13 February. NICE will then consider the responses made to that consultation and expects to issue final guidance later this year.

NHS: Cumbria

Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment has been made of additional costs since 1997 in Cumbria on National Health Service expenditure arising from (a) targets to reduce waiting time, (b) centrally fixed staff pay, (c) centrally fixed nurses pay, (d) centrally fixed general practitioner contracts; and (e) drugs purchases, as agreed under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.

Lord Warner: The following table details the attribution of additional resources spent across the National Health Service since 1997. We would assume that a similar proportionate increase in resources is attributable to Cumbria.
	
		
			  Cash Accounting Increase 1997–98to 2000–01 Stage 2 Resource Accounting Increase 2000–01 to 2004–05 
			 Real Increase in Total NHS Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL)1 £7.6 billion £20.0 billion 
			 Apportionment of National Increase: 
			 Staff and Pay 2,3 47 per cent 53 per cent 
			 Of Which: 
			 —Higher Wages 
			 —Additional Staff 33 per cent13 per cent  
			 29 per cent23 per cent 
			 Drugs 17 per cent 13 per cent 
			 Others 5 36 per cent 34 per cent 
		
	
	1. Figures calculated in 2004–05 prices by applying GDP Deflator.
	2. From 2003–04 onwards, the DEL for the Department of Health was increased by a switch from the Exchequers Annually Managed Expenditure spending to cover the increased costs of pensions. An addition of £1.6 billion was made to the NHS DEL to cover these costs from 2003–04 onwards. Whilst this change affected the overall level of NHS Expenditure, they did not increase. or decrease the spending power of the NHS. It is cost neutral. For purpose of comparability, the extra expenditure has been stripped out of Pay and included in Others.
	3. Pay has been estimated by combining NHS Accounts information, Accounts data for Foundation Trusts from Monitor, and General Medical Practice data based on latest information on the new General Practitioner Contract. Increases in staff are based on census returns, the proportion of extra funds to new staff and pay is based annual comparison of growth in pay bill with growth in NHS staff numbers (weighted by pay).
	4. Examples of other incremental expenditure include: Buildings, Equipment, Training, Research & Development, Supplies of services.
	5. This analysis may not be directly comparable to previously published analyses due to revisions to forecasts, estimates and Gross Domestic Product deflators.

Olympic Games 2012

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the holding of the Olympic Games in 2012 depends on certain conditions contained in the host city contract being made legally enforceable against third parties.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to London on the basis of the terms of the host city contract—signed by the IOC, the Mayor of London (on behalf of the City) and the British Olympic Association—and in reliance upon the terms of guarantees given by individuals or bodies who are not parties to the host city contract in support of London's bid. The IOC will expect the commitments in the host city contract and those given by third parties by way of guarantee to be honoured.

Pensions: Direct Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many state pensions are paid (a) directly into the recipient's banks; and (b) through a post office account; and when these systems of payment began.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As at 23 December 2005, 7,459,895 state pension accounts were being paid by direct payment into a bank/building society and 1,886,499 accounts were being paid by direct payment into a Post Office card account.
	Payment into an account became the department's normal method of payment from April 2003. However, the department has been making payments into customers' bank/building society accounts since the early 1980s. The Post Office card account became available for use from 1 April 2003.
	In line with our wider policy on financial inclusion, we have always made it clear that payment into a bank or building society account is the best option for the overwhelming majority of customers, rather than payment into a Post Office card account. The Post Office card account is a simple account with limited functions. It can only receive payments of benefits, pensions and tax credits. It does not, for example, allow customers to make savings on fuel bills by paying by direct debit, it cannot receive payments of private pensions, cheques cannot be paid in to the Post Office card account and it does not pay interest on balances.

Pensions: Direct Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Department for Work and Pensions gives its employees who deal with state pensions guidance to encourage applicants to choose to receive their payments via their bank account.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Direct payment is the department's normal method of payment.
	The department provides guidance to staff that deal with state retirement pension to enable them to give all applicants for state retirement pension full information on the payment options available.
	In line with our wider policy on financial inclusion, we have always made it clear that payment into a bank or building society account is the best option for the overwhelming majority of customers, rather than payment into a Post Office card account. The Post Office card account is a simple account with limited functions. It can only receive payments of benefits, pensions and tax credits. It does not, for example, allow customers to make savings on fuel bills by paying by direct debit, it cannot receive payments of private pensions, cheques cannot be paid in to the Post Office card account and it does not pay interest on balances. The role of staff is to provide factual information to enable the applicant to choose the account that best suits their needs.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the likely increase in the Essex police precept to the council tax arising from a possible merger of the Essex constabulary (a) with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces; (b) with the Norfolk and Suffolk forces; and (c) into one eastern force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The impact on precept is one of the key issues for consideration in any discussions to amalgamate two or more police forces. The Home Secretary has established a tripartite working group to look at the financial implications of amalgamating forces, which will include considerations for equalisation.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the potential start-up costs of (a) a Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex combined police force; (b) a Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex combined police force; and (c) one eastern police force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are currently in the process of assessing various options that have been submitted to us by forces and authorities in December 2005. This will include likely set-up costs. It would be inappropriate to comment on this issue until the assessment has been completed.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why, given that the Secretary of State for the Home Department's plans for police reorganisation stated that any force below 4,000 police officers would be unviable, the option of a stand-alone force for Kent with 3,600 police officers, Hampshire with 3,400 and Devon and Cornwall with 3,000 was put forward as part of the consultation.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Three forces and authorities which are under the 4,000 officer threshold received initial feedback from the Home Office in November 2005 that it might be suitable to stand alone if a compelling case could be made. Any such case would need to show how the forces would ensure that they had the necessary capacity to provide protective services to the appropriate standard.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will reconsider their decision not to put forward the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force under its plans for police reorganisation.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: No decision has been taken on the way forward. The Home Office will assess options that were submitted in December 2005, which included Essex as a stand-alone force.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many representations they have received to date in favour of abolishing the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have received three options from forces and authorities in this region that involve the merger of Essex Police Force with other forces in the region. These are (a) single regional force: merger of all six forces in the region—Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire; (b) a merger of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk; and (c) a merger of Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 19 December (HL2608), whether they have made an estimate of the cost of a merger of the Essex police constabulary into (a) one eastern force; (b) a combined force of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex constabularies; and (c) a combined force of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex constabularies.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are currently in the process of assessing various options that have been submitted to us by forces and authorities in December. This will include likely set-up costs. It would be inappropriate to comment on this issue until the assessment has been completed.

Police: IMPACT Nominal Index

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What training will be provided for police forces in England and Wales for the implementation and use of the IMPACT Nominal Index.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A total of 212 police officers and staff have been trained by the IMPACT programme on the use of the IMPACT Nominal Index and responding to inquiries generated by it. Subject to an evaluation of the initial deployment, further training will be provided either directly by the programme or via in-force trainers.

Police: IMPACT Nominal Index

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	From where the additional funding required by police forces to implement and use the IMPACT Nominal Index will come.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The IMPACT Nominal Index (INI) is delivering new operational capability to the police service. The costs of developing and deploying the INI have largely been met by the Home Office. We have also provided some £7 million to assist forces with the costs of preparing their data for the IMPACT programme. Forces are expected to meet the operational costs of using the INI from their existing budgets.

Prison and Probation Services

Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether regional offender managers will assume responsibility for commissioning prison and probation services with effect from April 2006, as previously announced.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: From 1 April 2006, regional offender managers will hold service level agreements with Prison Service area managers and with probation boards for the delivery of prison and probation services during 2006–07. The commissioning system will be further developed in subsequent years and will include giving regional offender managers appropriate budget delegation to purchase services to meet the identified needs of offenders in their region.

Prisoners: Hepatitis C

Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the number of prisoners infected with hepatitis C.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information about the number of prisoners with hepatitis C is not collected centrally. The then Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) undertook an unlinked, anonymised survey of the prevalence of blood borne viruses amongst prisoners in England in 1997–98. This indicated that nine per cent of adult men, 11 per cent of women and 0.6 per cent of male young offenders had evidence of previous exposure to hepatitis C.

Railways: Graffiti

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps are being taken to secure the removal of graffiti in the vicinity of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link crossing of the East Coast Main Line, north of Kings Cross station.

Lord Davies of Oldham: This is an operational matter for Network Rail and I have asked it to write to the noble Lord directly.

Railways: Skipton to Colne Line

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received in the past year in favour of the re-opening of the railway line between Colne and Skipton; and what has been their response.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There was an Adjournment Debate on reopening the Skipton to Colne line in another place on 12 January 2005 in which the Government set out their response. There is no record of any representation being made to Her Majesty's Government on the subject since.

Roads: Colne and Skipton Bypass

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What priority they are giving to the building of the Colne villages bypass on the A56 between Colne and Skipton.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The A56 village bypasses scheme has not formally been submitted to the Government for consideration.

Squirrels

Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In which places in the United Kingdom grey squirrel controls have been deemed successful.

Lord Bach: We have limited information on the success of squirrel control on private land as there is no requirement on landowners to report their squirrel control activities. Where control is undertaken using good practice it is most likely to succeed, but this is not always the case.
	In England, the Forestry Commission recently reviewed its grant-supported grey squirrel control and concluded that the level of support available to individual owners was insufficient to ensure that control met good practice standards and brought in question success in terms of damage control.
	The recently published Grey Squirrels and England's Woodlands policy and action statement aims to address this issue by targeting existing resources in areas where they are most needed and at a level that will help to enable good practice to be followed.

Transport: Manchester Metrolink

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any metropolitan district council outside of Merseyside has been asked to provide unlimited and unconditional guarantees relating to the capital expenditure on a scheme promoted by a passenger transport authority.

Lord Davies of Oldham: In December 2002, the Government approved an increase to £520 million for the public sector costs of the proposed Manchester Metrolink extensions. Before this approval was given, and as a condition of approval, the Government demanded and received confirmation from the Section 151 officers of each district council that, as a matter of professional judgment, they were satisfied that the contributions that would fall to be made by their authorities were affordable, given that the Government's contribution was capped.

Transport: Merseytram Line 1

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Upon what legal basis the decision to withdraw the proposed £170 million funding from Merseytram Line 1 was made; and
	Whether, as part of the decision to impose an additional condition on Merseytram Line 1 in October 2005, any consideration was given to the funding arrangements of passenger transport authorities as set out in the Transport Acts 1968 to 2000; and
	Why an additional condition, not previously included in the original conditions of December 2002, was imposed on Merseytram Line 1 in October 2005; and
	What direct assessment was made by the Department for Transport of Merseytravel's ability to fund the realistic contingencies likely to be incurred by the Merseytram Line 1 scheme.

Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer the noble Lord to my Written Statement of 29 November 2005 (Official Report, cols. WS11–13).

Transport: Research and Consultancy Services

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 December (WA 250), whether they will (a) place in the Library a copy of all documents, including the final report relating to the review of contracts for transport-related research and consultancy services recently carried out by the Department for Transport; (b) indicate what the time period of the review was; and (c) explain what subsequent actions the department has taken in the light of the review.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The review referred to in my previous Answer contains commercially sensitive information not intended for wider publication.

War Graves

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In which countries they have responsibility for British war graves.

Lord Drayson: HM Government are responsible for UK war graves and memorials in 146 countries. Of these, 145 are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The exception is Korea where UK forces' graves from the Korean War are maintained by the South Korean Government on our behalf.
	There are UK war graves in all of the countries listed in the CWGC Annual Report (2004–05), apart from Nepal, Norfolk Island, Samoa and Tonga. A copy of the CWGC Report is available in the House of Lords Library or on the CWGC website at www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/publications.htm.

Wildlife: Berne Convention

Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Berne Convention applies to species present in the United Kingdom before the ratification convention in 1982.

Lord Bach: The convention applies to species of wild fauna and flora occurring in the United Kingdom including those present before 1982.

World Health Organisation

Lord Steel of Aikwood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the governing body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is next due to meet; who will be their representative at the meeting; and whether they will support the admission of Taiwan as an observer member of the WHO.

Lord Warner: The Executive Board of the World Health Organisation is due to meet from 23–28 January 2006. At this meeting members will agree on the agenda for the forthcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), which is to be held 22–27 May 2006. The United Kingdom delegations for both meetings are still to be finalised but the UK is traditionally led by a Health Minister and/or the Chief Medical Officer.
	The Government have a clear understanding of Taiwan's desire for membership of the WHO and integration into the world healthcare community. However, there are difficulties over Taiwanese involvement in a United Nation forum where statehood is a prerequisite for full membership.
	The UK, along with other European Union member states, strongly supports the principle enshrined in the WHO constitution that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being. The EU has, on a prior occasion, expressed its hope that "the Secretariat, and others organising meetings and working groups under WHO auspices, will show flexibility in finding mechanisms to allow Taiwanese medical and public health officials to participate in these activities".
	However, observer status, of and by itself, does not automatically confer any rights or benefits on the holder; these have to be negotiated separately. The EU has therefore chosen instead to press for practical measures to allow Taiwan to participate in the activities of the WHO.
	Immediately prior to the 2005 WHA meeting, it was announced that the WHO Secretariat and China had agreed a confidential Memorandum of Understanding covering Taiwan's participation in the activities of the WHO. There are signs that it is having a practical effect. For example, health officials from Taiwan attended a WHO conference on avian flu in Geneva in mid-November and representatives from Taiwan attended an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation avian flu conference in Australia from 31 October– 1 November.
	We shall continue to watch developments closely, in particular to make sure that the MoU continues to enable Taiwan's participation in relevant activities. With EU partners, we will push for further action if necessary.